


Can you watch him?

by Erica_jam



Series: Little Nico [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Pacifiers, Paw Patrol - Freeform, agere, littlespace, sfw agere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:55:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29323551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erica_jam/pseuds/Erica_jam
Summary: This is a fic where Nico uses age regression as a coping mechanism. It is completely sfw and is not age play, it is just tagged that way so people can find it. Leo and Nico are dating but that isn’t really relevant to the story and they are obviously not dating while Nico is little. Also, this is my first fic uploaded on here, if you have any advice please tell me! I would also really like to meet someone who is interested in littlespace Nico fics, i feel like I’m the only one.Actually summary: Nico is regressed and cannot come out of littlespace but Leo has to go on a supply run for camp, piper babysits.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Leo Valdez
Series: Little Nico [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163435
Comments: 6
Kudos: 42





	1. The Call

**Author's Note:**

> This was barely proofread and very dialogue heavy. If you came here for proper punctuation you came to the wrong place. The characters are also probably very ooc. Hope you like it!

Nico stared at the cabin floor in front of him, silently begging it to swallow him up. He knew this topic would come up eventually but he didn’t think Leo would be so adamant about it. A couple months ago nico started experiencing involuntary age regression, when someone mentally regresses to a younger way. It’s his brain’s way to deal with trauma. Leo didn’t find out until after he had already regressed on his own a few times. One of those times he had broken a glass and accidentally cut himself, causing them both to decide that it was better for him to have someone watching him when he was regressed, which brought them to this conversation. Who would watch little Nico if Leo couldn’t for some reason?

“It’s just a precaution” Leo said “we don’t even know if a situation like this will actually come up”

“I just don’t want anyone else to know I’m a freak!” nico burrows his face in his hands

“You’re not a freak” his tone serious “this is a valid way to deal with trauma, it’s not like you’re killing puppies or something”

“I know, i know, but I really don’t want the whole camp to find out”

“The whole camp doesn’t have to find out, just one person, who can be like your designated babysitter or something”

“I’m assuming you already have someone in mind?” Nico said In an exasperated voice.

“That I do, so hazel, Annabeth, and Percy are off the table because they are at new Rome, which leaves Jason and piper, but Jason is really busy and I’ve never seen him within a 10 foot radius of a kid”

“So piper is going to be my designated babysitter?” His tone still exasperated.

“If your ok with that?”

“Yeah, i guess, but I don’t want to tell her until a situation where we would need her arises, if one even does”

“That’s fine with me” he said with a smile “you wanna go back to watching full metal alchemist?”

......................................................................

Nico whined and hid his face in the crook of Leo’s neck, sobbing quietly.

“I know, I know” leo said in a desperate effort to console him as he wrapped his arms around nico “but unless you think you can safely bring yourself out of your headspace, we have to tell piper so she can watch you”

Leo handed him his stuffed bat, echo, and he instantly latched onto it. His cries started to die down a bit from the feeling of the soft plush and Leo rubbing his back in soothing motions.

“B-but I wan’ you-u to stay with me” he hiccuped as he squeezed echo tighter “don’t wan’ you-u to le-eave”

“Hey, it’s ok, it’ll only be for a little bit, I’ll be back before you wake up tomorrow”

Nico just shook his head and buried his face further into his neck. Leo sighed and pulled out one of the phones that the Hephaestus cabin had made monster safe. He clicked on pipers contact and prepared himself as he waited for her to pick up.

“heyyy piper, hows it going?” he asked in an obviously fake light tone. 

“Uhhhh, Is something wrong?” She was not fooled by his faux easy-going nature one bit. 

“So I just have a small favor to ask but it might be a bit hard to explain”

“Do you need me to help you bury a body?”

“Not this time, I was actually wondering if you were free for the rest of the day?”

“I mean I was just gonna lay in my bunk, so I’m free”

“Oh that’s great!” his tone sounding releived “because I’m not and I was hoping you could watch someone for me?”

“Wait, did you kidnap someone?” She asked warily

“No no, it’s not like that” he was laughing at this point “it’s more like babysitting”

“You have a kid?” She asked just as concerned as before

“Not exactly”

Nico had been silent up to this point, but now that the realization that piper would find out about his secret had set in, he burst into tears.

“Wait, is that Nico?” She asked, hearing his cries through the phone “what is going on?”

“Okay so basically, you know how we’re all traumatized, Nico especially? Well, to cope with it his brain will sometimes mentally regress in age. Right now he has the mindset of a four year-old and i have to leave. Can you watch him? please, I am literally begging you”

“wait like age regression? i think I’ve heard of that before”

“Yeah, can you watch him, i need to leave soon” his tone growing impatient, at this point nico’s crying had not ceased and Leo was rubbing his back in vain.

“Uh, yeah sure, where are you guys?”

“We’re in the hades cabin”

“Ill be right there”


	2. The actual babysitting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper actually babysits in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! This is barely proofread, you have been warned. I really hope you like it. Characters are probably ooc. Also, Nico’s headspace is around four in this fic but he still uses a pacifier because it is comforting to him.

Luckily, Leo had been able to get Nico’s cries to reduce to small sniffles by the time piper walked into the cabin door. When she walked into the sleeping area she saw the two boys wrapped in an embrace on one of the beds, Nico clinging onto Leo and a stuffed animal of some sort for dear life. It was a complete 180 from how she had seen Nico behave in the past. She was used to a fierce and powerful demigod who had an aura that tended to put people on edge, but now he was kinda cute. Leo nudged Nico and pointed to piper.

“Look piper’s here, don’t you want to say hi” he prompted as Nico shyly lifted his head from Leo’s shoulder. He caught sight of piper in the doorway and quickly resumed hiding. “No, hey, its okay, she won’t judge you” Nico turned to piper again, this time meeting her gaze nervously.

Piper took this as a que to move from awkwardly standing in the door way. “Hi!” She greeted in a cheery tone as she sat down next to them on the bed. Leo gave her a thumbs up and gestures for her to keep going. Nico just stared at her with wide eyes.

“I’m piper” she paused for a moment “wait, does he remember me?”

“Yeah he remembers everything, he just has the mentality of a four year old”

“Oh, ok, that’s great! So you already know me!” She turned her attention back to nico. He responded with a shy nod. “Well, looks like we’re gonna be hanging out together today!” She kept her tone cheery and light, like how one would talk to an actual child. Nico gave her another shy nod. 

“Do you want to say hi to her?” Leo prompted again, trying to get him out of his shell a bit. It was 11:30 and he had to leave in 15 minutes so he was trying to make him as comfortable as possible with piper as fast before then. Nico looked conflicted for a moment.

“Hi” his voice sounded small and higher than usual. Piper had to hold back a coo.

“Hi!” She was trying to have enough enthusiasm for the both of them. However she paused for she didn’t really know how to go about interacting with a four year old Nico.

“How about you introduce her to echo” Leo prompted noticing her struggling.

Piper watched as Nico contemplated this for a moment. Then he shifted a bit so she could see the stuffed toy clearer and mumbled something.

“Speak up baby” Leo reminded him.

“Echo” Nico said while showing her the bat still holding on tightly.

“Is that their name?” Nico nodded “that’s a good name” another nod. 

Leo glances at his phone, 11:37, he still had to prepare for the trip. “Hey pup?” Nico turned to him “you have to let go of me now so I can gather up everything i need” he seemed hesitant but let go of him anyways, holding echo with two hands and turning his attention back to piper. They both sat their in awkward silence as Leo rushed around the cabin like a mad man throwing things into his bag.

“Ok so, make sure he eats lunch and dinner, his nap time is one pm, his bedtime is nine, make sure he isn’t playing with anything dangerous, don’t let him go outside, try to limit screen time, make sure-“

“Leo, it’s fine, i know how to take care of kids” piper cut him off.

“Alright, yeah, well I have to leave now” Nico starts sobbing again. Leo took the crying boy into his arms and whispers reassurances into his ear. Nico stuck his thumb in his mouth. “Do you want your paci darling?” Nico nodded. Leo opened the bedside drawer and fished around for a bit, still hugging Nico, his hands landed on a black pacifier with a bat sticker on it. 

Piper watched this interaction with a bewildered expression on her face. She was used to nico being brave and intimidating and Leo joking around and not taking much seriously. Seeing them be vulnerable and caring was an intense change of scenery. 

The pacifier had calmed nico down enough for Leo to leave without him hysterically sobbing. “I’ll be back soon baby bat” he reassured Nico as he closed the door behind him leaving him alone with piper. The boy started sniffling again.

“Ummm” she was trying to figure out a way to get through to him. Then she remembered him calming down when he was talking about the stuffed bat that he was currently squeezing to death “do you have any other stuffed animals you want me to me?”

Nico perked up at that and sprung from the bed, dashing across the room towards his closet. Piper was stunned for a moment then hurried to catch up with him. He opened the door of his closet and pushed aside some of the clothes revealing a box covered in childish stickers. When the box was opened piper saw toys, blankets, coloring books, crafts supplies, and basically anything you would find in a kids room.

“Oh! These are really cool”

Nico gave her a small smile and piper mentally congratulated herself. Nico reached into the box and pulled out a couple stuffed animals. He pointed to a dog plush and mumbled “Darby”, his pacifier distorting his words. Then he pointed to a frog “quinton”, then he pointed to the last stuffed animal, a green dragon, “zip”. 

“You’re very good at naming things” this earned her a blush. “Soooo, what do you want to do?” She asked hoping he would already have something in mind.

He looked back into the box and retrieved two of the coloring books. He hand one to piper, it seemed to be a farm animal coloring books with a smiling pig on the front, the one that he kept had a paw patrol theme. Then he grabbed a 64 box of crayons and a fuzzy blanket and went back to the bed.

“Okayyy” she said from where he just left her on the floor and joined him on the bed. She flipped to a random page, it was a duck wearing rain boots and a rain coat, and started coloring. She glanced over and noticed he was coloring a picture of the dog with a hard hat. 

They had been coloring for a little bit at this point, piper taking the time to process that nico di Angelo, the person she fought in a war with, was adorable and sucking on a pacifier. She caught him rubbing his eyes and stopping his coloring endeavor. She glanced at the time and saw that it was 1:07. 

“Hey, you wanna take a nap now?” she was desperately hoping that he wouldn’t try to fight her on this. Luckily, he nodded and began to put his crayons back exactly where they originally were. Piper made the mistake of putting one in the wrong place and he almost had a meltdown. However, they were able to get everything cleaned up without too much issue. “Should I tuck you in?” He gave her yet another nod, she got the impression he wasn’t very verbal right now. 

She dimmed the lights, handed him echo, and made sure he was snug in the blankets. He was out like a light as soon as his head hit his pillow. She wasn’t sure how long he was supposed to nap for but she figured an hour would be fine. Wait, should she have fed him lunch before his nap? Well too late now. She went over to the small kitchenette area in then cabin and started looking through the pantries. She found bread and peanut butter so she made herself a sandwich and quickly ate.

By the time she was done eating and making Nico his own sandwich it was around the time he should probably be woken up. She left the sandwich on the counter and walked over to nico’s bed. The sight she was greeted with was adorable. He was curled up around echo sucking on his pacifier, with an innocent expression on his face. She gently shook him, “hey buddy, it’s time to wake up now” Nico whined and made no move to get up. 

“Hey come on now, I made you a sandwich” 

“No” he sleepily mumbled behind his pacifier making piper laugh. She pulled the blanket down and he pulled it right back up. After a good ten minutes of coaxing she managed to get him out of bed. 

“Sandwich?” He questioned sleepily, she led him to the table near the kitchenette. However, when he saw the peanut butter sandwich he was not happy. “Nooo” he whined.

“What’s wrong?”

“Triangles”

“What do you mean?”

“Sandwich!”

“Ohhh, you want me to cut it into triangles”

“Yeah” he sniffled.

Piper made haste in cutting the sandwich into the boy’s desired shape. Nico happily ate it once it was cut, getting peanut butter all over his face in the process.

“Here, let me help you with that” she took a wet paper towel and wiped his face down. Then she gave him his pacifier in an effort to avoid a meltdown. “Do you want to go back to coloring?” Nico shook his head. “What do you want to do then?” He looked thoughtful for moment, then dragged her back over to his box. He brought out some LEGO Duplo blocks and said “build!” It was obvious that he was excited.

They spent the next few hours hard at work building a town with what Nico considered to be all of the necessary buildings. They ended up with a bat sanctuary, a McDonald’s, a castle, an arcade, and a couple of houses. 

By the time they were done it was already seven and even since they had lunch at two it seemed like an appropriate time for dinner. “Are you hungry?” Piper questioned as Nico was placing small rubber bats into the bat sanctuary, he paused and gave her a small nod. “What do you want to eat?” He responded with a shrug.

Piper thought about what little kids liked to eat as she rummaged through the pantries of the kitchenette for the second time that day. Her eyes landed on a box of Mac n cheese, perfect! “Hey buddy?” Nico looked up from the blocks to meet her gaze. “How does Mac n cheese sound?” Nico smiled, he seemed to be in a much better mood than he had earlier. Piper took that as a yes and prepared the Mac n cheese occasionally looking over to nico to make sure he was ok.

“Bone apple teeth” she said once she was done scooping the macaroni into two bowls. Nico scrambled to his feet and rushed to the table before piper could tell him to slow down. 

“Juice?” He asked after he had taken out his pacifier.

“Of course sweetheart” piper grabbed a purple sippy cup that she saw earlier and filled it with apple juice.

Nico dug into his meal happily, occasionally taking drinks from his sippy cup. Piper watched with amusement as she ate her own meal. 

“Done!” He announced, bouncing in his seat with cheese sauce smeared all over his face.

“Wow! You ate that so fast!” He beamed at the praise. 

“How about we get cleaned up and ready for bed?” Piper suggested when she finished clearing the table. She hoped that he would provide the same cooperation now that he had during nap time. Nico looked reluctant but nodded anyway and put his pacifier back into his mouth. She grabbed his hand and brought him to the bathroom where she wiped his face and hands off with a wet rag. 

“Alright, where are your jammies?” He pointed towards the sticker covered box that they had just left on the floor by the closet. When she looked inside it and moved some things around she found an extremely soft oversized sweatshirt and some sleep shorts. 

“Are these ok?” He nodded so she brought them back over to him. “Do you need help changing your shirt?” She asked, prompting another nod. “Arms up!” She said as she lifted the shirt (now covered in cheese sauce) over his head. She quickly replaced it with the sweatshirt.

“Do you need help with your pants?” he shook his head. “Ok, I’ll turn around then, tell me when your done” piper instructed as she turned to face the wall.

After a few minutes and some frustrated noises coming from behind her she heard a small “done.” She turned back to face Nico and saw that he had indeed finished changing his shorts. “Wow! You changed your pants all by yourself, good job buddy!” The boy blushed and fiddled with the ends of his sweatshirt. 

She quickly helped the boy getting ready by brushing his teeth and having him take his meds. “Ready for bed sweetheart?” She was answered with a sleepy nod and a yawn. She dimmed the lights and brought echo over to him. The boy snuggled into his soft pillow as piper tucked him in, making sure he was extra tight and snug. However, before she could leave the bed nico’s hand grabbed her wrist “stay.” his voice sounded so small and piper just couldn’t say no to him so she crawled into bed with him, holding him close as their visions faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Tell me if you liked it and if you would like to see more. Also feel free to request a story with little nico.

**Author's Note:**

> This will probably be 2 chaps long, not sure when the next update will be


End file.
